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Using an air fryer seems to be a straightforward process. You just take out the basket and place your meal inside. However, you may observe that there are holes or slots in the bottom of the basket. Is it necessary to use specific pans?

You may require a particular pan for your air fryer depending on what you’re cooking. Some dishes and recipes, particularly those using liquids or batters, may need pan cooking. For other items, line the basket with aluminum foil or parchment paper, or just set your food straight into the basket.

Air fryers are very flexible and may be used to cook anything from French fries to cupcakes. French fries may be placed directly in the basket, however cupcakes will need the use of a special pan.

Can You Use Any Pan In an Air Fryer?

Whether you’re creating an air fryer dish that calls for or recommends the use of a pan, you may be wondering if you can use a pan you already possess instead of purchasing one specialized for an air fryer.

In an air fryer, you may use any pan as long as it is ovenproof and fits. While air fryer-specific pans are available, they are not necessary. Metal, glass, and silicone pans are all appropriate.

Air fryers are basically miniature convection ovens, therefore they can cook practically anything that an oven can cook. As means you may use the same kind of pans that you would in an oven.

Temperatures in air fryers range from 350°F to 400°F. For most dishes, this is comparable to the typical oven cooking temperature. If you have a pan that can take oven heat, it will work well in an air fryer.

What Is the Best Pan To Use In an Air Fryer?

Many air fryer recipes do not indicate what kind of pan to use. So how can you know which pan is the best? The answer is dependent on what you are preparing.

The optimal pan for your recipe depends depend on the items you’re cooking, how “wet” they are, and the outcomes you want. Some recipes need no use of a pan at all. Other meals will need the use of a grill, pan, baking dish, bowl, or other specialty cookware.

Fresh meats, as well as packaged frozen items like fish sticks or chicken wings, need no pan at all. If you prefer, you may put them straight in the air fryer basket.

Because certain fresh meats tend to spill fat as they cook, the liquids may pass through the basket vents and onto the bottom of the fryer. This isn’t a threat, but it will add to the cleanup.

“Wetter” dishes, such as sauce recipes, will need a pan with sides to keep everything contained. For example, air fryer shrimp scampi is prepared in a circular baking pan similar to that used to bake a cake layer.

When baking anything like cupcakes or bread, you’ll need something that fits the form you want your baked items to take. You could already have silicone baking cups or a loaf pan that fit in your air fryer.

Custom air fryer pans are available to buy alone or as a pair. These are precisely designed to fit into the basket of an air fryer. The majority are composed of black, nonstick metal, with others made of silicone.

Cake pans, pizza pans, grilling pans, racks, crisper pans, and cupcake or muffin pans are some of the most typical pans available. These are reasonably priced and may be a wise purchase, given that ordinary oven pans may not fit readily into an air fryer.

What Size Pan Fits In an Air Fryer?

The main barrier to utilizing existing pans in an air fryer is their size. Pans that fit easily into your oven, such as a baking sheet or lasagna pan, are too big for an air fryer. Other pans are just not the proper shape.

Because air fryers come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and designs, there is no one-size-fits-all pan. The capacity of most air fryer baskets ranges from 1.5 quarts to 8 quarts. That dimension provides little to no information regarding the basket’s size and shape.

The problem is exacerbated further by the range of basket forms. Others are circular, some are oblong, and some are square or rectangular.

The measurements of your air fryer may be found in the user’s handbook. The basket of a Cosori 5.8-quart air fryer, for example, is 9 x 9 x 3.75 inches.

The biggest air fryer pans are typically 8-9 inches at their broadest dimension (or in diameter, for circular pans), however some are as large as 10 inches.

It may be just as simple to use a tape measure to measure it yourself, or to attempt to fit the pan inside and see whether it fits. Even the tiniest of special air fryer pans may be too large if you have a tiny capacity air fryer.

What Is the Best Pan To Use In an Air Fryer?

Many air fryer recipes do not specify the kind of pan that may be used. This may leave you wondering how you can tell which pan is the best to use. The honest answer is that it depends on what you’re cooking.

The finest air fryer pan to use depends on what you’re cooking. This may also be impacted by how moist your meal is and the results you want to achieve. There are several recipes that do not need the use of a pan. Some meals may need the use of a baking dish, grill, pan, bowl, or other specialty cookware.

Chicken wings, fish sticks, and fresh meats are examples of dishes that do not need the use of cookware at all. These things are placed immediately into the air fryer basket. Although you may cook fresh meat in the air fryer baking basket, chances are it will spill oil during cooking. The fluids may pass through the basket openings and onto the bottom of the air fryer. While not hazardous, it may add to your cleaning.

When cooking wetter items in an air fryer, you’ll need a pan with sides to keep everything contained. For example, while making air fryer shrimp scampi, you’ll need a circular baking pan similar to one used for baking a cake.
You’ll need a particular pan with the form you want your baked items to take in the case of bread or cupcakes. If the pans fit in your air fryer basket, you’re set to go.

Crisper pans, muffin pans, cupcake pans, racks, grilling pans, pizza pans, and cake pans are the most prevalent pans on the market. It is critical to invest in these pans since they are inexpensive. Remember that regular oven pans may not fit in an air fryer.

Do you need a special tray for air fryer?

For in-oven air fry, use dark baking or sheet pans. They absorb more heat and encourage crisping and browning. If you do use a baking basket or grid, place a broil-safe pan beneath it to collect any drippings.

Can you use aluminum foil pans in an air fryer?

Yes, you may use aluminum foil in an air fryer as long as you do it carefully and avoid covering essential components of your machine, which might result in uneven cooking and even damage. Use a tiny quantity to cover the bottom of your basket or to wrap your food in.

What Cannot be cooked in Airfryer?

Any item with a wet batter should not be cooked in an air fryer. You should also avoid placing wet battered foods in air fryers, such as corndogs or tempura shrimp.

What is bad about air fryers?

Air frying still has the danger of producing acrylamides, but any high-heat cooking with meat may produce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines. According to the National Cancer Institute, these substances are linked to an increased risk of cancer.

Can You Put A Tin Pan In Air Fryer?

If you have tin pans at home, you may be tempted to put them in your air fryer if you can’t locate the right one. As a result, understanding “can you put a tin pan in an air fryer?” is important.

In your air fryer, you may use any ovenproof dish or silicone mold. Tins may be made of silicone, metal, ceramic, or glass. Otherwise, you may make mini gratins, muffins, or cupcakes using paper or silicone cupcake cups or a mold.

Does air fryer consume a lot of electricity?

However, air fryers are still meant to cook faster than regular ovens, and you’re unlikely to use your air fryer for extended periods of time at once. The power for air fryers is relatively minimal, so you’re unlikely to rack up a massive energy bill.

Final Thought

What you cook in your air fryer decides whether you need special air fryer pans or not. Some wet recipes, as well as others like as bread and cakes, cannot be cooked directly in the air fryer basket. However, keep in mind that whichever pan you pick must be ovenproof and fit in your air fryer. You must now take your time in selecting the best pan for your purposes.